I've been at my new school, A'Takamul for two days and must say I'm quite impressed with the way things are going so far. Everyone has been so helpful and professional and I've experienced none of the unprofessional ism or negativity that I've read about on this website. As for our residencies, all new staff will be traveling to Bahrain for our medical check ups to begin our residency process. Again, I haven't met the students, yet, and I'm sure they will be a challenge, but as far as the school goes, so far so good!

I've been at my new school, A'Takamul for two days and must say I'm quite impressed with the way things are going so far. Everyone has been so helpful and professional and I've experienced none of the unprofessional ism or negativity that I've read about on this website. As for our residencies, all new staff will be traveling to Bahrain for our medical check ups to begin our residency process. Again, I haven't met the students, yet, and I'm sure they will be a challenge, but as far as the school goes, so far so good!

LOL- yes you haven't met the students yet- have you visited upstairs and taken a smell ? MMmm, on second thoughts wait until about four days into term....AFTER people have stopped fasting and resumed bodily functions.

You won't ''experience the unprofessionalism or negativity'' at the start of any academic year in any school no matter how sh&t it is- and they won't cheat you til the end of your contract anyway. Just wait.

- if you are in Primary, ask the Head when she will finish her online masters, where two teachers fled to last year and why Ms Christine had a travel ban

-if you are in the Secondary, ask the principal where her qualifications actually are.............and why the VP left after only one year....

- if you pass by the academic director's office, ask her when your IQAMA will be ready.......see how quickly she gets snitty.....

Have you asked why on earth they are sending you to ''Bahrain for medical check ups'' when

1) you have already had medical check ups at home
2) everyone ( including perhaps at sometime you) has to have medical check ups done IN KUWAIT

?

Aren't the alarm bells already ringing?Ding ding......dong dong...... haven't you asked yourself why members of staff newly arrived at other schools in Kuwait, not IPE owned, have already been to the hospital ( IN Kuwait....) to have :

1) bloods taken
2) x ray done

and the Ministry to have finger prints taken...................

(Bahrain is another country- if you went to work in Germany would they send you to Belgium for a medical check up????? )
This used to be the way things were done 15-20 years ago.....now the only reason for a trip to Bahrain is a) en route to somewhere else b) to get bevvied or more likely your scenario.....c) to re-enter Kuwait on a visit visa....

Just a thought , hey did you know they've taken gullible out of the dictionary? Really, go look.

That trip to Bahrain for a medical is one of the more bizarre things that I have seen mentioned on this board. The proper procedures are those mentioned by Starfell and are done in Kuwait. I would not go to Bahrain unless they are paying for it 100% up front... flight, hotel, & medical... because otherwise I suspect that you will have paid for nothing.

This place continues to do some very shady stuff. It will be interesting to hear if any of the teachers will manage to get an actual "work visa" so that they can do anything to make their lives comfortable... like get a phone or a driving license or car or internet at home...

Simply this middleeastbound: I have an aversion to immorality and illegal practices.

Immorality= pretending to be Muslim while breaking the law of the land so blatantly by employing people illegally under visit visas

You're new here, perhaps unaware of sharia, which states that muslims should obey the law of the land.

Immorality= pretending to be Muslim whilst at the same time changing senors' grades to allow them to obtain ministry scholarships.

Illegality= all of the above.

Tell you what, come back to me in 3 months' time and tell me if you have your iqama yet. Then we'll talk, but in my opinion 943 or 1093KD, whichever they are giving you, isn't enough to put your life at risk working illegally in a country where you will be imprisoned and then deported if caught working on a visit visa.

So, it's their breaking of Sharia law that bothers you?
In my short time in this country, I've seen a lot of people do things in public that break Sharia law.

Starfell wrote:

You're new here, perhaps unaware of sharia, which states that muslims should obey the law of the land.
.

I don't wish to argue, but I am a Muslim and your definition of Sharia is a bit vague.
Sharia is derived from two primary sources, the divine revelations set forth in the Quran, and the sayings and example set by the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

Anyway, thank you for your advice, and I will return soon as things develop, positive, or negative.

Don't work for the school. You will regret it. Read the other threads on here about A'takamul. Take what is written seriously. Trust me as someone who didn't listen and went to a school that lied about getting a work visa not long after arrival. They gave many of my friends who worked there last year the run around at the end of their contract. One of my friends was banned from leaving at the end of the year saying they would help her with the visa. Many other teachers left the school last year because of corruptness and unprofessionalism. Favoritism runs rampant, and if you are not with the 'in' crowd beware. If you complain at all, you will be mistreated and not listened to.